Dr. Copeland explains how best to take care of your body's largest organ.

The Ten Commandments of Healthy Skinby Michelle Copeland, M.D., D.M.D

Your Skin is your body's largest organ, yet for all the time and attention given to your general health—eat well, work out, get plenty of rest—it's likely you spend little time considering your skin's health. It's time to change that...

Rule 1: Wear Sun Protection

Sun exposure is one of the major causes of wrinkles. Solar radiation radically alters your cells and DNA and triggers the release of free radicals, which weaken your skin's collagen and elastin. There's no excuse for not rubbing an SPF-rich lotion onto exposed skin daily.

Rule 2: Don't Subject Yourself To Extremes

Be it excessive sun exposure, binge drinking and eating, or wildly fluctuating water temperatures, subjecting yourself to extremes isn't a good idea. Establishing equilibrium is a major factor in reaching your goal of healthy skin. Washing your skin with hot water will only dehydrate the skin by removing its natural oils. The thermal effect can actually damage cell tissue, so keep your water temperature at a warm comfortable level.

Rule 3: Clean Your Face At Least Once A Day

It's essential to wash your face at night, both to remove makeup and to rinse away any dirt and pollution your skin might have picked up during the course of your day. This frees the pores from potential clogs and is just a basic element of good hygiene akin to brushing your teeth.

Rule 4: Learn How To Exfoliate Properly And Do It Regularly

Taking off dead skin cells makes the newly exposed tissue fuller and more brilliant. Your body will shed this top layer naturally, but this regeneration process slows as we age. You'll get a greater glow if you slough off excess cells with an exfoliant that's either physical, one with particles that you rub in, then rinse off; or chemical, a product containing ingredients such as glycolic or lactic acid, that melt the glue holding wizened cells on the skin's surface. I've seen the damage from overzealous do-it-yourself peels. Improperly formulated, they can cause burns and scars.

Rule 5: Eat A Healthy, Balanced Diet And Drink Lots Of Water

In general, what's good for the heart is good for the skin. Following the guidelines of heart healthy eating – green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat-benefits your external appearance. Water is also a key component to beautiful healthy skin. You'll erase dry, flaky patches on your cheeks by downing gallons of water.

Rule 6: Slather On Such Antioxidants As Vitamins C And E Or Green Tea Every Day

Free radicals are molecules that assault and break down skin's supporting framework and are formed by oxidation. Pollution, UV light, stress- these are just a few of the entities that create free radicals. The good news is you have antioxidants on your side. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E and green tea, work to neutralize the damage caused by Free radicals.

Rule 7: Don't Smoke

Smoking causes vaso-constriction of the tiny vessels that feed the skin. The result is a complexion that's dull as opposed to luminous. Smoking also deepens lines and creates furrows.

Rule 8: Do Not Be Afraid Of Pigment Reducing Creams

Today, there are a lot of options, some of them botanical, all sold over the counter, usually labeled as lighteners or brighteners. We've found that thyme; Licorice extract and mulberry all have anti-pigment capabilities. Despite the fact that some of these are foods, you don't want to rely on diet alone. It's smart to select topicals with a variety of additives so you get the maximum benefit.

Rule 9: Make Anti-Aging Creams And Serums Your New Best Friends And Apply Them At Least Once A Day

Anti-agers are sort of like a construction manager, who organizes and assigns builders to go in and reinforce a house's framework. Besides fixing the things that are broken, these products minimize the chance of future breakdowns. Their ingredients rev skin's growth process up a notch or two. Soy, peptides, hyaluronic acid, selenium and retinoids are just a few of my favorites.

Rule 10: Treat Your Body's Skin As Well As You Do Your Face

Having healthy, beautiful skin means looking after all of it, from hairline to heel. This includes product usage. So many products on the market are just that: marketing. I don't believe the body skin requires a million individual items. There's no reason to go overboard or load your countertop with hundreds of bottles.

Your Skin is your body's largest organ, yet for all the time and attention given to your general health—eat well, work out, get plenty of rest—it's likely you spend little time considering your skin's health. It's time to change that...

Rule 1: Wear Sun Protection

Sun exposure is one of the major causes of wrinkles. Solar radiation radically alters your cells and DNA and triggers the release of free radicals, which weaken your skin's collagen and elastin. There's no excuse for not rubbing an SPF-rich lotion onto exposed skin daily.

Rule 2: Don't Subject Yourself To Extremes

Be it excessive sun exposure, binge drinking and eating, or wildly fluctuating water temperatures, subjecting yourself to extremes isn't a good idea. Establishing equilibrium is a major factor in reaching your goal of healthy skin. Washing your skin with hot water will only dehydrate the skin by removing its natural oils. The thermal effect can actually damage cell tissue, so keep your water temperature at a warm comfortable level.

Rule 3: Clean Your Face At Least Once A Day

It's essential to wash your face at night, both to remove makeup and to rinse away any dirt and pollution your skin might have picked up during the course of your day. This frees the pores from potential clogs and is just a basic element of good hygiene akin to brushing your teeth.

Rule 4: Learn How To Exfoliate Properly And Do It Regularly

Taking off dead skin cells makes the newly exposed tissue fuller and more brilliant. Your body will shed this top layer naturally, but this regeneration process slows as we age. You'll get a greater glow if you slough off excess cells with an exfoliant that's either physical, one with particles that you rub in, then rinse off; or chemical, a product containing ingredients such as glycolic or lactic acid, that melt the glue holding wizened cells on the skin's surface. I've seen the damage from overzealous do-it-yourself peels. Improperly formulated, they can cause burns and scars.

Rule 5: Eat A Healthy, Balanced Diet And Drink Lots Of Water

In general, what's good for the heart is good for the skin. Following the guidelines of heart healthy eating – green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meat-benefits your external appearance. Water is also a key component to beautiful healthy skin. You'll erase dry, flaky patches on your cheeks by downing gallons of water.

Rule 6: Slather On Such Antioxidants As Vitamins C And E Or Green Tea Every Day

Free radicals are molecules that assault and break down skin's supporting framework and are formed by oxidation. Pollution, UV light, stress- these are just a few of the entities that create free radicals. The good news is you have antioxidants on your side. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E and green tea, work to neutralize the damage caused by Free radicals.

Rule 7: Don't Smoke

Smoking causes vaso-constriction of the tiny vessels that feed the skin. The result is a complexion that's dull as opposed to luminous. Smoking also deepens lines and creates furrows.

Rule 8: Do Not Be Afraid Of Pigment Reducing Creams

Today, there are a lot of options, some of them botanical, all sold over the counter, usually labeled as lighteners or brighteners. We've found that thyme; Licorice extract and mulberry all have anti-pigment capabilities. Despite the fact that some of these are foods, you don't want to rely on diet alone. It's smart to select topicals with a variety of additives so you get the maximum benefit.

Rule 9: Make Anti-Aging Creams And Serums Your New Best Friends And Apply Them At Least Once A Day

Anti-agers are sort of like a construction manager, who organizes and assigns builders to go in and reinforce a house's framework. Besides fixing the things that are broken, these products minimize the chance of future breakdowns. Their ingredients rev skin's growth process up a notch or two. Soy, peptides, hyaluronic acid, selenium and retinoids are just a few of my favorites.

Rule 10: Treat Your Body's Skin As Well As You Do Your Face

Having healthy, beautiful skin means looking after all of it, from hairline to heel. This includes product usage. So many products on the market are just that: marketing. I don't believe the body skin requires a million individual items. There's no reason to go overboard or load your countertop with hundreds of bottles.